This is Choo’s third and final season of arbitration eligibility and he requested $8 million while the Reds countered at $6.75 million. He made $4.9 million in Cleveland last season.

And as I wrote about earlier today Choo is expected to be Cincinnati’s primary center fielder this season at age 30 despite starting just four games there since 2007, which is an interesting aspect of his impending free agency.